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- Title
Why is Family Violence Lower Among Mexican Immigrants? The Protective Features of Mexican Culture.
- Authors
Curry, Theodore R.; Morales, Maria Cristina; Zavala, Egbert; Hernandez, Jorge Luis
- Abstract
Although immigrants tend to be less involved in crime than the native-born, less is known about whether immigration is protective regarding family violence and, if so, why. This is especially problematic given that some cultural features of immigrants, such as machismo, may increase family violence. Using a random sample of adults in El Paso County, Texas, the present study finds that family violence is substantially lower among first generation Mexican immigrants compared to 1.5 generation immigrants, second generation Americans and third generation or higher Americans. Higher levels of acculturation to Mexico among first generation immigrants partially mediated, or explained, this finding. However, familism and machismo were not higher among first generation Mexican immigrants; and, while lower among first generation immigrants, acculturation to the US was not associated with higher levels of family violence. Implications of these findings are discussed.
- Subjects
MEXICO; TEXAS; ACCULTURATION; FAMILIES; DOMESTIC violence; PSYCHOLOGY of immigrants; MACHISMO; STATISTICAL sampling; TRANSCULTURAL medical care; CULTURAL identity
- Publication
Journal of Family Violence, 2018, Vol 33, Issue 3, p171
- ISSN
0885-7482
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10896-017-9947-y